NFA Info

What are NFA (The National Firearms Act of 1934) weapons? Essentially they are: machine guns, sound suppressors (also known as silencers or cans), all shotguns with a barrel length less than 18", all rifles with a barrel length less than 16", destructive devices, and "any other weapons" or AOW for short. AOW includes cane guns, pen guns, smooth bore guns, and a couple other devices.

Here is a summary of the steps for purchasing an NFA weapon.

1. Contact a firearms dealer near you to make sure you can possess NFA weapons in your area.
2. Complete your purchase with the seller. The item is now yours but you cannot possess it.
3. Complete a Form 4. Dealers will usually do this for you.

   (a) If you are registering the weapon as an individual, you must provide 2 completed fingerprint cards, 2 passport photos and the Form 4 must be signed by the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for your area.

   (b) If you are registering the weapon to a corporation or trust, you will need to provide a copy of the Articles of Incorporation or the trust documents. (No fingerprint cards or photographs are needed for a trust or corporation)

4. Send 2 copies of the completed Form 4, items from either 3a or 3b above, and a check made out to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) for $200 ($5 for AOW).

For additional information related to NFA weapons and ownership, please click the following links:

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/nfa/

http://www.atf.gov/publications/firearms/nfa-handbook/